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Kamis, 30 Agustus 2012

ParalympicsGB Begins Hunt For Gold Medals

Britain's Paralympians will be hoping for an early gold rush as the Games gets under way in earnest.

Last night saw a stunning opening to the London 2012 games as more than 62,000 fans packed into the Olympic Stadium in Stratford to officially open the event.

Now it is the turn of the competitors, with early medal hopes pinned on swimmer-turned cyclist Sarah Storey, shooter Di Coates and Ben Quilter, who will be going for gold in judo.

Paralympics veteran Storey, 34, has already achieved 18 medals - 16 of which were awarded as a swimmer before her switch from the pool to the bike ahead of Beijing 2008.

Storey, who was born with a deformed left hand, will appear at the velodrome in the C5 Individual Pursuit, having won the C4 in Beijing. This is her sixth Games and she is chasing her eighth gold.

Also appearing on the track is six-time Paralympic champion Darren Kenny, who has restricted movement down his right side following a car crash aged 18.

GB Paralympic Athlete Ben QuilterGB Paralympic Athlete Di Coates Ben Quilter (L) going for gold in Judo and Di Coates in shooting

He defends his 1km Time Trial title alongside fellow Brit Rik Waddon.

Coates - who at 58 is taking part in a British record-equalling eighth games - will be gunning for her fourth title in the women's R2 10m Air Rifle standing event.

She is Britain's most experienced competitor and the star, who has spina bifida, is the only person to have competed in front of a British Paralympian crowd before.

The 1984 Paralympics was split between New York and England when wheelchair athletes with spinal injuries competed at Stoke Mandeville in Buckinghamshire.

GB Paralympic Athlete Darren Kenny Darren Kenny is a six-time Paralympic champion

UK Sport have set ParalympicsGB the minimum target of winning 103 medals from at least 12 different sports, with the overall goal of once again finishing second in the medal table.

Britain won 102 medals, including 42 golds, in Beijing four years ago to claim second place for a third consecutive Paralympic Games.

Ben Quilter, who is visually impaired, will be going for gold on the mat, as he takes part in the under 60kg category in judo.